Sketchley Hill Primary School Burbage

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Sketchley Hill Primary is a thriving school. Pupils are happy and safe here, including in the early years.

The school has set out a curriculum that can ensure all pupils achieve the highest standards.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school works hard to make sure the curriculum motivates pupils to learn. Pupils say they enjoy their lessons.

They talk positively about the subjects they are studying.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils are courteous and polite.

Lessons are calm. Pupils play well at playtime. Everyone understands the school rules.

The school ens...ures pupils have opportunities to develop independence and responsibility. Older pupils help younger pupils in the early years. Pupils become team captains to organise events for their friends.

They take on roles like 'eco-warriors' to run eco-friendly projects. Pupils value these opportunities. The school celebrates pupils' achievements in assembly, for example when pupils show their 'character muscles' in school.

This helps pupils reflect on things like being resilient.

Parents say they value the 'family feel' of school life. They are positive about the support adults give to pupils and their families.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

This is an inclusive school. Adults have the same ambitions for pupils with SEND that they have for all pupils. They identify what support pupils with SEND need so that they can learn and remember more.

As a result, pupils with SEND have the guidance they need to achieve as well as they can.

Behaviour is good. School routines are well established, including in the early years.

Children in the early years develop good social skills. They show positive attitudes in the range of activities provided for them. Pupils across other classes move to lessons in an orderly way.

They respond well to reminders of expectations from adults. Pupils are proud of their school.

The school prioritises reading.

Pupils begin learning to read letter sounds in the early years. Staff support pupils to continue going over these sounds during key stage 1 so that they remember them. Staff introduce new sounds in careful steps.

They give extra help to pupils who need to catch up. As a result, pupils gain the knowledge and skills for good reading fluency. Pupils recall different books they read and poems they recite.

Adults encourage them to read texts by a range of authors. Pupils say they like reading.

The school is reviewing the curriculum in some subjects to make it even better.

It is ambitious for more pupils to achieve the higher standards by Year 6. In a small number of subjects, the detail of what pupils must know and remember is not as clear as it should be. This includes in the early years.

As a result, pupils do not always remember the most important knowledge they should know.

The school has updated the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE). This provides a broad range of study so that pupils can know more about life in modern Britain.

They teach pupils about fundamental British values. The school has also updated the religious education curriculum. This is so that pupils can improve what they remember about different faiths.

The school supports pupils to know and understand the benefits of being healthy. Pupils can recall some good ways to be physically and mentally fit. The school has prioritised the profile of mental well-being.

The school encourages wider participation in a range of clubs and sporting activities. This broadens pupils interests. Pupils and staff are proud of the trophies they have achieved.

Leaders have made sure they support teachers to improve their teaching skills. Staff are well equipped to teach a range of subjects. They have good subject knowledge to break lessons down into learning steps.

This helps guide pupils to remember new knowledge. They use questions to check pupils' understanding. Staff work hard to motivate pupils' curiosity.

Governors are knowledgeable. They have 'link roles' allocated to them to connect with school life. These roles help governors to share out their responsibilities.

For example, they have a dedicated well-being governor role. Staff appreciate the work leaders are doing in balancing their workload. Well-being of staff is given careful consideration.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school is still developing some curriculum subjects. In some subjects it has not specified the most important knowledge that must be remembered.

This includes some subjects in the early years. This means that pupils do not always remember important knowledge. The school should set out the most important knowledge that pupils, and children in the early years, must learn and remember.

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